Method of and apparatus for the insertion of eyeless passings of laces in the uppers of shoes

ABSTRACT

A METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR INSERTION OF EYELESS PASSINGS FOR LACES IN SHOE UPPERS, COMPRISING THE STEPS OF CUTTING OFF FROM A BAND ROLL OF A BAND STRIP HAVING A LAYER OF PLASTIC GLUE MATERIAL OF A PRE-DETERMINED LENGTH, AND IRONING SIMULTANEOUSLY WITH HEAT AS LONG ON THE INSIDE OF THE SHOE UPPERS UNTIL THE GLUE MATERIAL HAS PENETRATED EXTENSIVELY INTO THE INSIDE OF THE SHOE UPPERS, AND THEREAFTER PUSHING THROUGH THE UPPERS WITHIN THE RANGE OF THE GLUEDON BAND STRIP FROM THE OUTSIDE WITH HEATED HOLE PIPES TO AN EXTENT, THAT A PASSAGE FOR LACES IS CREATED AND THE EDGE PARTS ARE PULLED IN FROM THE BOTTOM SIDE UP TO AT LEAST IN THE   RANGE PASSED BY THE IRONED-IN GLUE INTO THE INSIDE OF THE UPPERS.

Jan. 12, 1971 R. HQFFMANN METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR THE INSERTION OF EYELESS PASSINGS OF LACES IN THE UPPERS OF SHOES Filed April 25, 1968 3 Sheets-Sheet l Jan. 12, 1971 R. HOFFMANN 3,553,755

. METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR THE INSER'IION OF EYELESS PASSINGS OF LACES IN THE UPPERS OF SHOES Filed April 25, 1968 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 3

Jan. 12, 1971 R. HOFFMANN 3,553,755

' METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR THE INSERTION OF EYELESS PASSINGS OF LACES IN THE UPPERS OF SHOES 3 Sheets-Sheet :5

Filed April 25, 1968 United States Patent METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR THE INSER- TION OF EYELESS PASSINGS OF LACES IN THE UPPERS OF SHOES Richard Holfmann, Hechingen, Hohenzollern, Germany, assignor to Firma Biedermann G.m.b.H., Hechingen, Hohenzollern, Germany, a corporation of Germany Filed Apr. 25, 1968, Ser. No. 724,069 Int. Cl. A4341 00/00 US. Cl. 12-146 2 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A method of and apparatus for insertion of eyeless passings for laces in shoe uppers, comprising the steps of cutting off from a band roll of a band strip having a layer of plastic glue material of a pre-determined length, and ironing simultaneously with heat as long on the inside of the shoe uppers until the glue material has penetrated extensively into the inside of the shoe uppers, and thereafter pushing through the uppers within the range of the gluedon band strip from the outside with heated hole pipes to an extent, that a passage for laces is created and the edge parts are pulled in from the bottom side up to at least in the range passed by the ironed-in glue into the inside of the uppers.

The present invention relates to a method of and apparatus for the insertion of eyeless passings of laces in uppers of shoes, in general, and such apparatus with which all required preliminary operational steps for performing the method for insertion of eyeless passings of laces in uppers of shoes can be performed, in particular.

It is known that uppers of shoes, shortly called uppers, are equipped with laces at the open joint, which laces are retained releasably in shoe eyes specially provided therefor. The eyes are automatically set over a channel in so-called eye setting machines. Caused by the style, always several eye forms and sizes must be fed and set by the eye setting machine, which requires in each different form and size of the eyes continuously a resetting and readjusting of the machine. Aside from the fact the plurality of formand size-different shoe eyes requires a comparatively large storage. Aside from this, even similarly formed shoe eyes are not always made with the precision as it is necessary for a special machine, as an eye setting machine presents itself, for the non-objectionable function, so that in this connection disturbances occur often, which interfere with a continuous working operation.

In order to remove the above-stated drawbacks, it is necessary to move in a completely new path, and to avoid completely the use of shoe eyes as passages for laces in the upper of the shoe. For this purpose, on the one hand, the shoe uppers are to be prepared already correspondingly, that means, instead of conventional eye strips, a band strip of a particular type is applied and also the passages for laces are then inserted in these strips.

It has now been found, that thermoplastic glue material, which is welded or ironed from the inner side into a piece of leather, lends to the leather piece by repeated reactivation with heat an extremely good form constancy. The form constancy is so much larger, the deeper the thermoplastic glue material has penetrated into the leather layer, whereby furthermore it could have been determined, that the form constancy extends also to formations in the leather layer itself, for instance, in particularly formed openings.

This finding is the basis for the present method, in accordance with the present invention according to which ice eyeless passages for laces in uppers of shoes are made in such manner, that from a band roll of a band having a layer of plastic glue material a band strip of corresponding length is rolled off and cut and thereby simultaneously by heat effect ironed as long to the inner side of the upper of the shoe, until the glue material on the band strip has penetrated extensively into the inner side of the upper leather of the shoe, whereupon the latter Within the range of the glued-on band strip from the outside and the upside, respectively, is pushed through with heated tools so far until, on the one hand, a passage of the lace is created, and on the other hand, the edge parts are pulled in about this passage from the outside, until at least in the range passed by the ironed-in glue material is drawn into the inside of the upper of the shoe.

It is of advantage if the band strip has a layer as to about /3 of the strength of thermoplastic glue material, so that it is assured with safety that the glue strip during ironing and during welding, respectively, penetrates nearly completely the upper leather layer from the inside.

The apparatus for performing this method comprises, on the one hand, an arrangement for cutting and welding-on of band strips on the inside of the shoe upper and on the other hand, a device for insertion of passages for laces into the shoe uppers, whereby these arrangements can be made as one unit in a housing block in the manner of twin-machines.

The apparatus of the present invention for cutting according to measure of pre-determined length and welding-on of the band strips equipped with a thermoplastic layer of glue material has a roll holder for a band strip roller, a transporting device for this band strip roller, a cutting device and an ironing arrangement. The transport roller which causes the rolling off and further feeding of the strip removed from the roller serves also simultaneously to the length determination with which the strips are moved through the cutting device and are, therefore, suitably coupled with a brake motor as a driving motor.

The apparatus for insertion of passages for laces in above described shoe uppers comprises, in accordance with the present invention, in its most essential parts a work piece support and a hole-pipe tool disposed above the tool support and movable towards the work piece support, which tool is heatable by means of a heating element, whereby the cutting edge of the individual cylinder-shaped pipes is curved concavely towards the end of the pipes. By this formation of the cutting side pipe end is, during the perforation of the shaft in co-operation with the latter, an esthetically acceptable form, inwardly rounded eye-like passages for the laces is assured. This formation, acceptable as to form of the upper passage edge, remains also consistent due to the glue, whereby the passage edge in addition after solidifying of the glue material hardens in the shaft inside and simultaneously is also fortified and remains in this condition.

With these and objects in view, which will become apparent in the following detailed description, the present invention will be clearly understood in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of device for cutting and welding of band strips to the inner side of shoe uppers;

FIG. 2 is a part of the shoe band strip at an enlarged scale;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an apparatus for insertion of passages for laces in shoe uppers;

FIG. 4 is an axial section of a perforating type;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a centering member;

FIG. 6 is a partly longitudinal section through a patrix and a matrix for formation of decorative eyes;

FIG. 7 is a top plan view of a shoe upper with passages for laces; and

FIG. 8 is a top plan view of a shoe upper with passages in accordance with FIG. 7, yet equipped with decorative eye stampings.

Referring now to the drawings, and in particular to FIG. 1, the apparatus comprises a housing 1 at the front side 2 of which is arranged a roll holder 3 for a band strip roll 4, a transporting device 5, a cutting device 6, and an ironing arrangement 7. The transporting device 5 comprises an actual transport roller 8 and an idling roller 9 co-operating with the transport roller 8, whereby the latter is coupled with a brake motor (not shown), disposed inside of the housing 1. The cutting device 6 is of scissor-like structure and has a lower knife 10 and an upper knife. The lower knife 10 is immovable and forms jointly with a knife block 11 a slit-shaped opening .12, through which the band strip portion 13 to be cut is slidable. Perpendicular to the axis of the knife block 11 and the lower knife, respectively, an upper knife 14, having its cutting edge above the slit-shaped opening 12, is slidably mounted co-operating with the lower knife 10. The upper knife 14 is rigidly connected with a part of the ironing arrangement, to be described below. The ironing arrangement comprises a heated iron tool 15 and a support 16 provided therebelow, whereby the iron tool 15 consists of a metal plate 17 extending parallel with the surface of the support 16, which metal plate 17 is heatable by means of an electric cartridge heater 18. The support .16 is immovable and the metal plate 17 is movable perpendicularly to the latter. On the front side 2 is also secured a millimeter scale 19 by means of which the required band strip length can be measured. In cooperation with this scale 19 on a time clock calibrating millimeters jointly with a time relay coupled with the time clock, the band strip advance by means of the brake motor and the transport roller 8 can be set in a measured length. A control for the correct length measuring by the device is provided by means of a control measuring indicator 23. The required temperature for the ironing arrangement can be set by means of a temperature controller 21.

The glue material layer 22 on the shoe lace strip 13a amounts to about /3 of its thickness in order to assure the ironing on to the inner side of the shaft a possibly deep penetration into the shaft leather of the glue material, which becomes thereby liquid (FIG. 2).

Referring now again to the drawings, and in particular to FIG. 3, the apparatus for insertion of passages for shoe laces in shoe uppers is disclosed, and which comprises a housing 24 having an upper housing part 25 and a lower housing part 26, whereby the upper housing part 25 projects with its lower side face 27 beyond the housing lower part 26. On the lower side face 27 a hole pipe holder 28 is movably displaceable arranged above a work piece support 29. In the hole pipe holder 28 is provided a cartridge heater 30. The lower part of the holder 28 is grooved in form of a grip 31, in which a hole pipe tool 32 can be releasably inserted. The hole pipe tool has two pipe rows 33 symmetrically arranged relative to each other. The work piece support 29 is releasably secured to a work piece support holder 34 which is integral with the device. The work piece support has at its surface 35 means, for instance, bolts 36 (FIG. 5) for holding of a centering piece 37, the edge parts of which indicate the position of the hole pipe rows, so that the work piece mounted on the work piece support and to be equipped with passages 38 can be correspondingly aligned (FIGS. 7 and 8).

Corresponding with the different hole pipe rows and hole pipes, respectively, are, of course, also the centering pieces co-ordinated thereto. It is common to all centering pieces, that they have a center stay 39 which serves, on the one hand, for a better centering of the two work piece parts 40 and, on the other hand, keep at a distance the flat lying upper part 41 from the surface 35, in order to make it possible that the work pieces 40 can slide on 4 to the work piece support 29 between the upper part 41 and the work piece support 29. On the bottom side of the upper part 41 are arranged securing pins 42 at equal distance with the bores 36, which pins 42 can be inserted into the bores 36 for holding the center pieces on the upper face 35.

In accordance with the method of the present invention, the required length for the band strip is set with the time clock 20 by means of a time-way-control and upon operation of a switch, the band strip is rolled off the transport roller in the direction towards the iron arrangement between the cutting knives in pre-determined length. Prior to or also after the advance of the band strip, the shaft leather is applied with the inner side in upward direction on the support and, in particular such, that the advanced strip comes to its standstill at the point, on which it has to be mounted on the shaft inner side. After repeated switching, the cutting device cuts the shoe eye part disposed therebetween from the roller band, whereby also simultaneously the band strip is ironed towards the inner side of the shaft by means of heat activation of the glue material 22 (FIG. 2). Upon raising of the upper knife and, thereby, also of the ironing tool, the shaft part with the band strip secured thereto is removed and for further operation centered into the device for insertion of passages for laces. For this purpose, two work piece parts 40 equipped with band strips and co-ordinated towards each other are moved on to the work piece support including both sides of the centering piece. The hole pipe tool is now lowered with a so-called presetting device by easy pushing through of a foot lever (not shown) at first in a testing manner on to the work piece for the position examination of the pipes. If the tool is aligned properly to the hole pipes, the foot lever is now pushed through completely, and the pipes perforate on both sides of the center stay simultaneously the work piece by penetrating from the upper side first the shaft upper and then the band strip. By the particular formation of the cutting edge 43 of the hole pipe, the upper side of the shaft leather is pulled in extensively into the passage 39 whereby the heated hole pipes cause a securing of the pulled-in upper parts, since these parts perform with the reactivated glue material a binder. Simultaneously, the upper side is still additionally reinforced and compacted at the upper edge portion.

For pressing of additional decorating eyes to the passages for the laces upon securing of the patrix and the matrix, the work piece is aligned in a similar manner to 'the centering piece relative to the perforating parts and the decorative eye pressing part, respectively. Thereafter, a patrix 44 with an eye punching part 45 is lowered to the work piece therebelow, whereby the hole parts perforate the latter and are received in bores 46 so far until the decorating eyes punching parts arranged thereabove engage on the upper side and punch the decorative eye profile to the latter. The work piece parts 40 are thereby on a matrix 47 in which also the bores 46 are arranged flush with the perforating parts 48.

While I have disclosed one embodiment of the present invention, it is to be understood that this embodiment is given by example only and not in a limiting sense the scope of the present invention being determined by the objects and the claims.

I claim:

'1. A method of insertion of eye-less passings for laces in shoe uppers, comprising the steps of cutting off from a band roll of a band strip having a layer of plastic glue material of a predetermined length, and

attaching said strip to the inside of the uppers,

simultaneously ironing and heating along the strip on the inside of said shoe uppers until said glue material has penetrated extensively into the inside of said shoe uppers, and

thereafter pushing through said uppers within the range of said glued-on band strip from the outside with heated hole pipes to an extent, that a passage for laces is created and the edge parts are pulled in from the bottom side up to at least in the range passed by the ironed-in glue into the inside of said uppers.

2. The method, as set forth in claim 1, which includes the step of pressing, in addition to said heated hole part, an eye punching part on the inner side of the upper until punched onto the upper concentrically with said hole part.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 843,488 2/1907 Parkhurst et a1 12--51 1,027,057 5/1912 Magnus 12-51 1,871,313 8/1932 Ford 12-146 3,397,418 8/1968 Steadman et a1 12--146 the upper is perforated and a decorative eye is 10 PATRICK D. LAWSON, Primary Examiner 

